Dons EzeOBASA’S REINSTATEMENT AS LAGOS ASSEMBLY SPEAKER DIVIDES GAC
OBASA’S REINSTATEMENT AS LAGOS SPEAKER DIVIDES GAC A Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC) member, who spoke on condition of anonymity with The Guardian, stated that the issue was far from resolved, as the agreement required Obasa to step down after his reinstatement. He said, “The tripartite solution is that Meranda must resign, and Obasa would be given a soft landing by being reinstated. However, he (Obasa) too must resign by today (Wednesday), making way for another Speaker from Lagos West. Any other arrangement besides this is null and void and must not be celebrated.” The GAC member also criticized Obasa’s decision to storm the Assembly complex last Thursday with armed security personnel, a move that has been widely described as an act of intimidation. He further stated, “That is what they call brigandage in law. Since he has gone to court to challenge his removal, Obasa has no right to do that. The party must be bold enough to say this for the sake of our integrity before Lagosians, Nigerians, and the entire democratic world.” The source added that he was waiting for Obasa to step down as agreed, warning that if he failed to do so, the entire crisis would be seen as a sham and an embarrassment to Lagos State. However, some members of the GAC, particularly from Lagos Central, have taken a different stance, insisting that Obasa was right to assert himself as Speaker by arriving at the Assembly complex with security operatives. “Obasa was correct in asserting his authority as Speaker by taking armed security officers to the Assembly last Thursday,” a senior GAC member from Lagos Central reportedly said. This contradictory stance within the GAC highlights deepening cracks within Lagos APC, with power blocs struggling for control over the Assembly’s leadership.
FG MOVES TO BROKER PEACE BETWEEN NATASHA AKPOTI, SENATE
FG MOVES TO BROKER PEACE BETWEEN NATASHA AKPOTI , SENATE The Federal Government on Friday said it is negotiating with the leadership of the National Assembly to broker peace over the recent suspension of the Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. “We’re engaging all the stakeholders to ensure that they temper justice with mercy,” the Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs. Iman Suleiman-Ibrahim, told State House correspondents during a Meet-the-Press Programme at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Her comments come barely 24 hours after the 10th Senate suspended Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months. The lawmaker had submitted a petition alleging she had been sexually harassed by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio. Akpoti-Uduaghan first raised the alarm on February 28. However, the Senate dismissed her petition on procedural grounds as the ethics committee recommended her suspension, saying she had brought ridicule to the upper chamber. Reacting to the developments, the Women Affairs Minister said, “It’s an unfortunate incident that should not happen. In the last assembly, we had nine senators that were women. “We don’t want to be losing any woman member in the Senate or decrease in the numbers. “We’re going to be brokering peace. We’ll engage all the stakeholders to ensure that they temper justice with mercy.” Suleiman-Ibrahim said she is emboldened by the Senate President’s openness to talk. “I was at the National Assembly yesterday, at the Senate where we marked the International Women’s Day. “The last thing the Senate president said was that ‘we’re open to broker peace.’ “So we’re going to be the intermediary between the two parties to see that we broker peace; for peace to reign, and then we’ll continue to sensitise everyone a o that we learn to work better together as women and men,” she said.
I DIDN’T CALL SUPREME COURT’S RULING ON RIVERS STATE RECKLESS – PETER OBI
I DIDN’T CALL SUPREME COURT’S RULING ON RIVERS STATE RECKLESS – PETER OBI PETER OBI, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, has denied describing the Supreme Court ruling on Rivers State as RECKLESS. The apex court recently affirmed the Martins Amaewhule-led Rivers House of Assembly members as VALID MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE. The court also ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Accountant-General of the Federation NOT TO RELEASE FUNDS to the state government until its House of Assembly is constituted in line with the dictates of the 1999 constitution. REACTING to the judgment, PETER OBI posted a statement titled “Too much attention on frivolities as poverty deepens is concerning,” via his official X handle, saying, “The RECKLESS JUDICIARY pronouncement on Rivers State is capable of threatening democracy. It is deeply troubling that Nigeria’s political leadership is rapidly descending into an embarrassing spectacle. We are at a time when our nation faces the highest levels. The national discourse is consumed by trivialities, whether it is allegations of sexual harassment or controversies surrounding State Houses of Assembly speakership, RECKLESS COURT JUDGMENTS threatening to destabilize or deprive the state of funding to provide needed services to the citizens.” However, THREE days later, the Labour Party chieftain denied berating the apex court judgement on River State. In a statement posted on his X page, PETER OBI said he never made remarks describing the court ruling as RECKLESS: “My attention has been drawn to a news report saying that I described the SUPREME COURT ruling on Rivers State as RECKLESS. The statement I made from which the report was drawn is on the general terms of the attitude of the political elites in the face of deepening poverty in the land. There’s nowhere I made direct remarks on the Supreme Court ruling as RECKLESS.” Obi said even if he does not agree with the Supreme Court’s judgment on matters, he won’t describe its verdict as RECKLESS.
FG APPROVES 11 PRIVATE VARSITIES SUSPENDS NEW APPLICATIONS
FG APPROVES 11 PRIVATE VARSITIES, SUSPENDS NEW APPLICATIONS The Federal Government on Monday approved provisional licences for 11 new private universities nationwide, further expanding Nigeria’s higher education sector. The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, announced this to State House Correspondents after the 24th Federal Executive Council meeting at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja. Alausa said, “Council approved the issuance of provisional licences to 11 new private universities. Several of these applications have been pending for well over three and a half years, but President Bola Tinubu…mandated that we quickly review those applications that are fully completed, and we should bring them to council.” The minister gave the names of the approved universities as New City University, Ayetoro, Ogun State; University of Fortune, Igbotako, Ondo State; Eranova University, Mabushi, FCT and Minaret University, Ikirun, Osun Annex. Others are Abubakar Toyin University, Oke-Agba, Kwara State, Southern Atlantic University, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Lens University, Ilemona, Kwara State and Monarch University, Iyesi-Ota, Ogun State. Others are Tonnie Iredia University of Communication, Benin City, Edo State; Isaac Balami University of Aeronautics and Management, Lagos and Kevin Eze University, Mgbowo, Enugu State. The minister explained that the 11 universities fulfilled the National Universities Commission’s 13-step process. Addresses compliance issues Alausa also explained that the Federal Government is suspending the issuance of licences to new private universities. Nonetheless, the moratorium does not affect applicants far into the approval process. He added that applicants who have reached the advanced stages will continue to be reviewed and approved if they meet the necessary requirements. “We’ve also issued a moratorium on issuance of licences to new private universities. The ones approved today have reached a finalisation stage. “But we’ve decided to review the ones that have gone through the second visit, and if they meet all their requirements, we’ll go ahead and approve them. So there are still some more that will be coming to FEC for approval. “They’ve invested money. We’re very mindful of those investments. We will continue to process those that meet the requirements of the National University Commission. So we want that to be clear,” he stated.
WHY NO SENATOR OPENLY SUPPORTED NATASHA – SHEHU SANI
WHY NO SENATOR OPENLY SUPPORTED NATASHA – SHEHU SANI‘A chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Shehu Sani, has explained why the suspended Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, was a lone ranger in the battle with the leadership of the 10th Senate. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan was on Thursday suspended by the Senate for a period of six months over violation of Senate rules and other misconduct after a face-off with the Senate President Godswill Akpabio over seating arrangement in the Red Chamber penultimate week. Reacting to the development hours later via a cryptic post on his verified Facebook page, Shehu Sani, who once represented Kaduna Central in the 8th Senate between 2015 and 2019, recalled how he escaped a six-month suspension from the Senate for ‘blowing a whistle’ on the actual salaries and allowances of Senators on a TV show. He suggested that, for accusing Senate President Akpabio of sexual harassment, Natasha must be deserted as no Senator would openly identify with her for fear of victimisation. Shehu Sani wrote: “When I publicly disclosed the salaries and allowances of the Senators, it nearly earned me a SIX-month suspension if not for Divine Intervention. Just know that if you are there and you blow whistle too loudly, you will be “On your Own”, no senator go bring him head and neck to support you.”
TRANSPORT FARES REMAIN HIGH DESPITE PETROL PRICE DROP
TRANSPORT FARES REMAIN HIGH DESPITE PETROL PRICE DROP Fares for inter and intra-state transportations have remained high across the country despite the recent reduction in the price of petrol, checks by Daily Trust have shown. The Dangote Petrol Refinery and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) had reduced their prices. In Lagos, a litre of petrol was reduced from N925 per litre to N860 at filling stations following the cut in the ex-depot price initially by Dangote. The NNPCL also cut its price to N860. With the reduction in petrol price and the much promoted Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) of the federal government, it was expected that there would be an impact on transport fares. However, checks by Daily Trust show otherwise. ‘2025 year of hope for Nigeria’s transportation sector’Explosion: FG to review fuel transportation protocols Oil industry players say the reduction in the pump price is still not significant, and considering other variables, it will take a long time for Nigerians to feel the impact. Muhammed Abdullahi, who works with one of the oil marketing companies in Abuja, said only NNPC stations and others affiliated with the Dangote refinery have significantly reduced their pump price. “And these stations are only a fraction of the thousands of filling stations in the country who are selling at almost N1,000. I believe for Nigerians to feel the impact of the reduction, majority of the filling stations have to reduce their pump price,” he said. Situation in states In Kano State, after the removal of fuel subsidy, commercial transporters jerked-up transport fares to all destinations following the increase in the price of fuel. Abubakar Adamu, who claimed to have been plying the Abuja – Kano route for over a decade, said Kano to Abuja transport fare was jerked up from N5,500 to N9,000. He said the fare from Abuja to Kano skyrocketed between N13,000 to N15,000 depending on the number of passengers in the car. But a visit to Na’ibawa Motor Park revealed that a few drivers had reduced the fare by N1,000 for Abuja-Kano trip. However, at ‘Yan Kaba Motor Park, Kano to Damaturu in Yobe State was N6,000 and after the fuel subsidy removal, the fare was increased to N10,000. Usman Dauda, a commercial driver operating in the motor park, said: “Many commercial operators can only reduce the transport fares after buying their fuel, because filling stations sell based on their discretion as there is no static fuel pump price. “You may charge N9,000 from Kano to Damaturu and on your way back, you have to charge N10,000 to balance the gap, because you probably got the fuel at a higher cost than that of Kano.” A commuter plying the Kano-Maiduguri route said transport operators might not reduce the transport fare “because the fuel price isn’t static.” According to him, “It is unfortunate that commuters now have to travel with extra money because the fare can change at any moment,” he said. In Borno, when our correspondent visited the Tashar Kano Motor Park in Maiduguri, the transport fare had not changed. One of the drivers, Aisami Isa, said they did not notice much change in the price of petrol in most filling stations in Maiduguri. “As it is now, the transport fare from Maiduguri to Kano is: Mercedes Benz, N20, 000; Sharon bus, N12,000 and Hummer bus N9, 000,” Isa said. The Administration Secretary of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) Borno State branch, Alhaji Gana Mohammad Shuwa, said with the reduction in the price of fuel, the union was anticipating good days ahead, but most filling stations in Maiduguri, particularly independent marketers, were still selling at N1,030 to N1,040 per litre. “We only buy at a discounted price from NNPC…
ENUGU GOVT BANS UNLAWFUL PASTING OF POSTERS, OFFENDERS TO PAY N50M FINE
ENUGU GOVT BANS UNLAWFUL PASTING OF POSTERS, OFFENDERS TO PAY ₦50M FINE The Enugu State government has announced a ban on the unlawful pasting of posters on outdoor surfaces and spaces within the state. According to a statement issued by the Enugu State Structures for Signages and Advertisement Agency (ENSSAA), prior approval is now mandatory for posting or displaying posters in public or private areas. “This is to inform all that henceforth, no person or entity should post or display any poster without first obtaining the written approval of ENSSAA,” the statement reads. Failure to comply with this directive will attract a fine of up to N50million. The statement signed by Frank Aninwike, General Manager of ENSSAA, emphasised that the agency would no longer tolerate the defacing of outdoor surfaces and spaces. According to him, the ban is empowered by the ENSSAA Law, 2016, which regulates the posting and display of posters on outdoor surfaces and spaces. The statement partly read, “This is to inform all the political parties, churches, schools, printers, advertisers, marketers, producers and the general public that henceforth, no person or entity should post or display any poster on public or private structures, buildings, walls, highways or any outdoor surface or space within Enugu State without first obtaining the written approval of Enugu State Structures for Signages and Advertisement Agency (ENSSAA). “Failure to comply with this directive amounts to a violation of Section 4(1,g), Section 33, and Section 34(4,9) of the ENSSAA Law, 2016, which empowers the Agency to control the posting and display of posters on outdoor surfaces and spaces, and to make regulations on the subject matter of this notice. “Please note that pasting or displaying of poster without first obtaining the written approval of ENSSAA shall attract a fine of up to Fifty Million Naira (N50,000,000) only. “We therefore urge all concerned to kindly comply with this directive as ENSSAA will no longer tolerate the defacing of outdoor surfaces and spaces,” it added.
DR. DOYIN OKUPE IS DEAD
DR. DOYIN OKUPE IS DEAD Dr. Doyin Okupe, a prominent Nigerian physician, politician, and former presidential aide, has died. He passed away at the age of 72. According to sources close to the family, Dr. Okupe had been critically ill in the weeks leading up to his demise. His health had reportedly deteriorated significantly, prompting concern among his loved ones and supporters. Sahara Reporters confirmed that his death was linked to cancer, marking the end of a long struggle with the illness. Sahara Reporters had in October 2023 reported that Okupe was hospitalized with prostate cancer and was flown to Israel for treatment. However, it was learnt that his condition did not improve as he and his family expected. Okupe was first diagnosed with prostate cancer 16 years ago and later developed sarcoma in his right shoulder.
RIVERS CRISIS: WHY WE RESTORED PRO-WIKE LAWMAKERS – SUPREME COURT
RIVERS CRISIS: SUPREME COURT EXPLAINS JUDGEMENT RESTORING AMAEWHULE-LED ASSEMBLY A Certified True Copy, CTC, of the Supreme Court judgment on the political crisis in Rivers State has shed light on why the apex court restored the leadership of the State House of Assembly under Martin Amaewhule. In a 62-page judgment obtained on Thursday by DAILY POST, the Supreme Court made it clear that there was no iota or shred of evidence to support the claim that 27 members of the House of Assembly had defected from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the All Progressives Congress, APC. To worsen the situation, the judgment, signed by Justice Emmanuel Agim, revealed that the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, who had raised allegations of defection against the 27 lawmakers, later withdrew the allegations of his own volition at the Federal High Court in Abuja. By failing to substantiate the defection claims against the Amaewhule-led leadership, the Supreme Court held that, in the eyes of the law, no defection had taken place, and consequently, the status quo in the House of Assembly must remain. Justice Agim, who endorsed the judgment, specifically stated that there cannot be a House of Assembly except as prescribed by the 1999 Constitution. He added that the Constitution neither envisaged nor supported Governor Fubara’s position of recognising only four members as the legitimate House of Assembly. As a result, the Supreme Court ruled that it was an aberration for Governor Fubara to make any requests, nominations, or presentations to the Rivers State House of Assembly unless they were directed to the leadership under Hon. Martin Amaewhule, who is believed to be loyal to the faction of former Governor Nyesom Wike. The judgment stated: “What is clear from the above concurrent findings is that the 8th respondent (Fubara) initiated the prevention of sittings of the Rivers State House of Assembly, constituted by the number of members as prescribed by Section 96 of the 1999 Constitution, long before the issue of the remaining 27 members defecting to another political party arose. “The said activities of the 8th respondent (Fubara) were adjudged by the concurrent holdings of the Court of Appeal in its judgment in Appeal No. CA/ABJ/CV/133/2024 as illegal and unconstitutional long before the allegation of defection started. “Against the background of these concurrent findings and holdings in the Court of Appeal judgment in Appeal No. CA/ABJ/CV/133/2024, it is reasonable to conclude that the cross-appellant’s reliance on Sections 102 and 109 of the Constitution and the doctrine of necessity is intended to continue his brazen subversion of the Rivers State House of Assembly, the 1999 Constitution, and legitimate government in Rivers State. “Having, by his own admission, engaged in a series of illegal activities aimed at preventing the 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly from participating in the House’s proceedings and carrying out their legitimate legislative duties, his resort to Sections 102 and 109 of the 1999 Constitution and the doctrine of necessity on the basis of his allegation that they have defected is a red herring to perpetuate his subversion of the Rivers State House of Assembly, the 1999 Constitution, and democratic government in Rivers State. “The 8th respondent (Fubara) had effectively collapsed the Rivers State House of Assembly. Therefore, no question about any member having lost his seat due to defection can validly arise. There must be a functioning House of Assembly for any constitutional processes therein to take place. “The claim that the 27 members are no longer members of the House on the basis of alleged defection is a continuation of his determination to prevent them from participating in the proceedings of the House. It is an engagement in chicanery. “Sections 102 and 109 of the Constitution cannot…
NATASHA AND SEAT REARRANGEMENT CONTROVERSY, BY SENATE SPOKESMAN
NATASHA AND SEAT REARRANGEMENT CONTROVERSY, BY SENATE SPOKESMAN Senator Yemi Adaramodu, spokesperson for the Senate, has shared details about the controversy surrounding Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s seat change in the Senate chamber. Speaking at a Channels Television programme, Adaramodu explained that on the day of the incident, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan arrived at the chamber earlier than usual, which was unlike her previous routine. He pointed out that she was promptly informed about the seat reassignment, which affected not just her but also three other senators. However, her reaction to the situation took an unexpected turn. According to Adaramodu, “She had never been coming as early as that; she came earlier and she was again informed and when she got there, there were about four senators whose seats were changed. And she flung that inscription of her name; she removed it, flung it off then started raining curses and abuses even before the plenary. So she was already waiting for that plenary, and she didn’t even move to the seat that was allocated to her.” The senator described how, instead of adjusting to the seat reassignment like the others, Akpoti-Uduaghan allegedly reacted angrily, removing the name tag from her original seat and discarding it. He stated that she began making verbal outbursts even before the session officially began, indicating that she was already prepared for confrontation before proceedings commenced. The incident has since sparked debates, with some questioning whether the seat reassignment was politically motivated. Others believe it was a standard administrative adjustment that did not warrant such a reaction. However, Adaramodu insisted that the changes were routine and not intended to target any particular senator. Despite the explanations provided by Adaramodu, the controversy remains a talking point, with many Nigerians expressing diverse opinions on the matter. Some believe the incident reflects deeper tensions within the Senate, while others see it as an avoidable misunderstanding that has been blown out of proportion.